Door



Sept. 1, 1942. W 2,294,856

DOOR

Filed June 26, '1940 2 sheets-sham 1 43 9 L 6 I u ZZ/fl INVENTOR GEORGEL. WEST a ewcffim HTTOE/VE' K Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNHTED STATES TOFFICE DOOR Application June 26, 1940, Serial No. 342,476

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to door constructions and it hasparticular relation to a construction involving a single monolithicpanel of tempered glass as a closure element.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple convenient andattractive method of securing the hinges to a door panel of theforegoing type with a minimum modification of the panel.

This and other objects of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following specification and the appended claims.

The mounting of doors, such as those employed in shower stalls, publicbuildings and other places, from monolithic panels of tempered glasspresents certain problems not encountered in connection with doors ofconventional material. In particular it is highly desirable that themountings for the hinges and other hardware accompanying the door be asinconspicuous as possible, in order to preserve the appearance of thedoor as consisting of a single monolithic panel of crystal-likematerial. This precludes the use of a conventional glass doorconstruction in which a glass panel is simply set in a rabbeted openingin a door of wood, metal or the like. Furthermore, because of thehardness and brittleness of the material, it is relatively difficult orimpossible to provide openings and mortises in the panel, such as arecommonly employed in connection with doors of conventional materials. Insome instances, for example, in doors employed in shower stalls it is,also, desirable to provide certain of the edges of the door withflexible flashings of rubber or other suitable water-resistant materialdesigned to provide a seal about the edge of the door. This, of course,introduces additional problems in connection with tempered lass doors.

The present invention involves as one feature the provision of a hingemounting involving a pair of channel elements disposed in angularrelation to grip a vertical edge and the bottom edge of a panel in suchmanner as to hold the panel securely in position while at the same timebeing relatively inconspicuous and requiring but little modification ofthe simple panel structure.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may now be made tothe accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a fragmentary elevationalview showing a door panel embodying the invention and portions of thewall contiguous thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken substantially uponthe line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the bottom of the doorstructure constructed in accordance with the present invention andshowing certain of the parts in cross section.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational View of a detail of a flashing forthe bottom portion of the door.

In the drawings like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

The construction shown includes walls 6 which may be those of a showerstall or any other convenient construction and which define. an openingI in which is disposed a door, the closure element of which consists ofa single monolithic plate or panel 8 of glass so tempered that uponbreakage or rupture of the surface thereof it will automatically shattercompletely into small dice or cube-like fragments which are harmless incharacter.

The door panel is mounted to swing upon a hinge structure 9 of bronze,stainless steel, aluminum, or the like, which as shown in Figure 2 ischannel-like in cross-section and includes side plates I!)interconnected by an intermediate portion I I. This channel includes anupper or vertical branch or leg l2 embracing a vertical edge of theglass and a rigidly attached horizontal leg or branch l3 which engagesand supports the bottom hinge of the panel. The spaces between the sidesof the channel and the faces of the glass preferably are packed withoakum, gum or other suitable packing material designed to seal the spacewithin the channel and also to provide a more secure grip upon theglass.

In order positively to secure the panel from displacement, verticalelement 12 is provided with lugs l4 disposed near the top of the panel,that are bored to receive a bolt l5, also, extending through a suitablerounded opening in the panel. The lower outer or swinging corner of thepanel diagonally opposite bolt I5 .is formed with a semicircular notchl5a. cut from face to face of the glass and receiving a boss l6 ofcorresponding section, which is detachably secured by screw I! to a lugl8, closing the forward extremity of the channel of branch I3. Insecuring the panel in place, the boss is is first disposed in notch 15a,after which the panel is slid into the channel, bolt l5 and screw I! arethen inserted rigidly to secure the parts together.

A molding 19 of stainless steel, aluminum, brass, or other material issecured to the face of the vertical side or iamb 20 of the door opening1 by means of bolts or any other convenient fastening and provides aconnection for a conventional hinge which preferably is of thecontinuous or piano-lid type and includes leaves 2| and 22 which extendthe length or a substantial portion of the length of the leg or branchl2 of the channel. These leaves are hinged together by a pin 24 and arerespectively secured to the intermediate portion H and to the adjacentface of the molding I9 by means of screws 26.

If desired, molding 19 may be provided with a shoulder or lip 21extending longitudinally thereof and assisting in providing a seal inthe joint between the back of the channel and the molding l9. However,this lip is not an essential feature and may be eliminated if sodesired.

A stop or bumper element 30, shown in Fig. 2, including a strap or bar3|, is secured to the opposite jamb of the door opening and includesashoulder portion 32 having a channel formed in one face thereof for thereception of a-lcushion 33, of rubber or other resilient material, whichis designed to reduce impact of the glass when the door closes and alsoto deaden possible noises.

A handle structure for the door includes knobs 34' and 38 of glass or ofa clear or colored artificial resin or any other convenient material.These knobs are bored as indicated at 31 to receive a through bolt 38extending through a sleeve 39, disposed in a suitable opening in thedoor panel. Washers M, of a resilient material such as rubber or thelike, are disposed between the faces of theglass panel and thecontiguous faces of the glass knobs. The knobs are held fromdisplacement upon the bolt by means of nuts 42 which may have their topsurfaces of spherical contour corresponding to that of the knobsthemselves and may include a cylindrical portion 43 fitting within bores31.

The bottom leg or branch I3 of the channel supports a flashing strip ofrubber, artificial resin or other suitable material which is securedthereto by means of a clamping plate 52, having screws 53 threadedtherethrough and into the sides of the channel. This strip is ofsufiicient width approximately to touch the floor or the sill portion ofthe opening of the doorway, thus providing a seal along the lower edgeof the panel. It is to be understood that this sea-ling strip orflashing may not always be necessary, and it is within the provision ofthe invention to dispense with it.

The forms of the invention herein disclosed are to be considered merelyas exemplary, and it is apparent that numerous modifications may be madetherein without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A door construction comprising a monolithic panel of glass having avertical and the bottom edge thereof disposed in channels which areconnected together to form a member of L- shape, the vertical channelhaving hinged elements secured thereto, the channel at the bottom edgeof the door .being closed at its forward end and having a lug extendinginto a notch formed in the forward edge of the door panel, said lug\being secured to the flange by screw means so that the panel can beslipped into position or withdrawn when the screw is not in position,but the panel being positively locked from displacement when the screwis threaded into the lug.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1 in which a bolt is furtherpassed through the channel and the panel along the vertical edge tosecure the topportion of the panel.

3. A door construction comprising a single massive panel or glass havingtop, bottom and two vertical edges, a single hinge comprising a verticalchannel gripping a vertical edge of the :panel throughout the majorportion of its length, said channel having a single rigidly attachedchannel-like arm projecting at right angles, gripping and supporting thebottom edge. of the panel along substantially its entire width, thechannel and the arm together providing a member of L-shape, the verticalchannel further being provided with a hinge connection securing thepanel [for swinging movement about a vertical axis in a door opening ina building, the top edge and the remaining vertical edge of the panelbeing free so that the panel is supported entirely by the verticalchannel and the channel-like arm thereof.

4. A door construction comprising a single massive panel of glass, asingle hinge comprising a vertical channel gripping one vertical edge ofthe panel, said channel having a rigidly attached channel-like armprojecting at right angles and gripping and supporting the bottom edgeof the panel, said arm being provided with a downwardly-projectingflashing strip, the vertical channe1. further being provided with ahinge connection securing the panel for swinging movement about avertical axis in a door opening in a building, the top edge and theremaining vertical edge being free so that the panel is supportedentirely by the vertical channel and its channel-like arm.

GEORGE L. WEST.

